Kidney Failure Also called: ESRD, End-stage renal disease, Renal failure Summary Healthy kidneys clean your blood by removing excess fluid, minerals, and wastes. They also make hormones that keep your bones strong and your blood healthy. But if the kidneys are damaged, they don’t work properly. Harmful wastes can build up in your body. Your blood pressure may rise. Your body may retain excess fluid and not make enough red blood cells. This is called kidney failure. If your kidneys fail, you need treatment to replace the work they normally do. The treatment options are dialysis or a kidney transplant. Each treatment has benefits and drawbacks. No matter which treatment you choose, you’ll need to make some changes in your life, including how you eat and plan your activities. But with the help of healthcare providers, family, and friends, most people with kidney failure can lead full and active lives. NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Array Acute kidney failure Acute tubular necrosis Dialysis End-stage kidney disease Glomerular filtration rate Specifics Acute Kidney Failure Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Chronic Kidney Disease Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Related Issues Amyloidosis and Kidney Disease National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Analgesic Nephropathy (Painkillers and the Kidneys) National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Health Care Team National Kidney Foundation Kidney Failure: What to Expect National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse MRI: Is Gadolinium Safe for People with Kidney Problems? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research What Vaccinations Do You Need? National Kidney Foundation Living With BUN Test American Association for Clinical Chemistry Coping Effectively: A Guide to Living Well with Kidney Failure National Kidney Foundation Eating Right for Kidney Health National Kidney Disease Education Program MedlinePlus: Creatinine Renal Diet for Vegetarians: Which Protein Sources Are Best? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Encyclopedia Calcium – urine Hepatorenal syndrome Lactic acidosis Peritonitis – secondary Peritonitis – spontaneous Potter syndrome Prerenal azotemia Renal arteriography Renal scan Urine 24-hour volume Children Children and End-State Renal Disease (ERSD) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Questions Children Ask: Helping Children Adjust When a Parent Has Kidney Failure National Kidney Foundation Treatment Methods for Kidney Failure in Children National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases What Vaccinations Does My Child Need? National Kidney Foundation Treatments and Therapies Choosing a Treatment for Kidney Failure National Kidney Foundation MedlinePlus: Dialysis National Library of Medicine MedlinePlus: Kidney Transplantation National Library of Medicine Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Kidney Failure National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Kidney Failure, Chronic National Institutes of Health Find an Expert Directory of Kidney and Urologic Diseases Organizations National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse Find a Urologist Urology Care Foundation National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Kidney Foundation National Kidney Foundation Diagnosis and Tests eGFR American Association for Clinical Chemistry Kidney (Renal) Failure Array Renal Scintigraphy Radiological Society of North America Your Kidney Test Results National Kidney Disease Education Program Genetics Genetics Home Reference: Alport syndrome National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: Denys-Drash syndrome National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: fibronectin glomerulopathy National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: Frasier syndrome National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: nephronophthisis National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: uromodulin-associated kidney disease National Library of Medicine Statistics and Research Kidney Disease Statistics for the United States National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Start Here Kidney Failure National Kidney Disease Education Program Kidney Failure American Kidney Fund Kidney Failure: Choosing a Treatment That’s Right for You National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases What I Need to Know about Living with Kidney Failure National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Reference Desk Kidneys and How They Work National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Kidneys and Urinary Tract (For Parents) Nemours Foundation Journal Articles Kidney Failure Latest News Kidney Dialysis Might Not Extend Survival of Elderly HealthDay Blacks More Likely to Have Kidney Failure Than Whites HealthDay
